Opportunity

Program Description

Opportunity programming supports students with mild cognitive disabilities and significant academic delays gain skills for future independent living and employment.

Goals

• Improve academic and independent living skills
• Develop employment skills for students in junior or senior high

Benefits

• Application of strategies for studying, remembering and organizing information
• Improved work and study skills

Program delivery

• Positive and supportive learning environment
• Emphasis on literacy and math instruction in elementary grades
• Slower pace of instruction
• Flexible instruction based on students' needs and abilities
• Visual aids, specific examples and hands-on activities
• Smaller classes for more targeted instruction

Alberta curriculum

All Edmonton Public Schools programming is based on curriculum determined by Alberta Education. Students enrolled in the Opportunity program will receive the same high-quality education offered in all of our programs.

Transportation

Most schools offering special education needs programming have some yellow busing options available. For more information about busing, contact your child’s school or call Student Transportation at 780-429-8585.

STRATEGIES

STRATEGIES

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Strategies programming supports students with learning disabilities whose intelligence is measured as average to above average and who have significant academic delays. Learning disabilities are complex and can vary from person to person, requiring flexible instruction that meets each student’s unique needs.

GOALS

• Improve academic skills
• Develop strategies to manage learning challenges with the goal of returning to regular programming as soon as possible

BENEFITS

• Improved reading, writing, listening and comprehension skills
• Application of strategies for studying, remembering and organizing information
• Increased responsibility for  learning—planning ahead, setting goals and monitoring progress

PROGRAM DELIVERY

• Visual aids, concrete examples and hands-on activities
• Smaller classes for more targeted instruction
• Opportunities to access other classes for instruction in a student’s area of strength   

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for programming, students must be:

• in Grades 2 to 12
• diagnosed with a learning disability
• demonstrating significant academic delays despite adequate intellectual, linguistic, sensory and emotional development

 Contact your child’s school for information about eligibility and special education programming options. 

ALBERTA CURRICULUM

All Edmonton Public Schools programming is based on curriculum determined by Alberta Education, regardless of the school or program. Students enrolled in Strategies will receive the same high-quality education offered in all of our programs.

TRANSPORTATION

Most schools offering special education programming have some yellow busing options available. For more information about busing, contact your child’s school or call Student Transportation at 780-429-8585. 

INTERACTIONS

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Interactions programming supports students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD impacts how people understand what they see, hear and sense. This lifelong disability can result in difficulties in communication, social relationships, behaviour or learning. Although some students with ASD achieve at grade level, many have uneven or delayed achievement.

GOALS

• Improve communication, social interaction and behaviour while developing academic skills

BENEFITS

• Demonstrate growth in communication skills
• Demonstrate growth in building and maintaining relationships, and understanding social situations
• Demonstrate growth in managing frustration and problem-solving
• Improved ability to handle change or challenging emotions (e.g., anxiety)
• Development of life skills to support independent living and employment

PROGRAM DELIVERY

• Structured environment with regular routines
• Smaller classes for more targeted instruction
• Visual aids, concrete examples and hands-on activities
• Frequent praise and other meaningful rewards to help students adopt positive behaviours and attitudes
• Opportunities to join other classes for instruction in a student’s areas of strength

ELIGIBILITY 

To be eligible for programming, students must be:

• 5 ½ to 19 years old on September 1
• Clinically diagnosed with ASD
• Demonstrating stereotyped behaviours, and have severe impairment in social interactions and communication

Contact your child’s school for information about eligibility and specialized programming options. 

ALBERTA CURRICULUM

All Edmonton Public Schools programming is based on curriculum determined by Alberta Education. Students enrolled in Interactions will receive the same high-quality education offered in all of our programs.

TRANSPORTATION

Most schools offering specialized programming have some yellow busing options available. For more information about busing, contact your child’s school or call Student Transportation at 780-429-8585.